The document provides information about the naturally formed Vayulingam at Sri Kalahasti temple in Andhra Pradesh, South India. It describes how the lingam is covered with 27 stars representing the 9 planets and 27 constellations. It discusses how people with sarp dosha or kal sarp yoga visit the temple to pray and remove their doshas. It provides details on fees for entry, special prayers for sarp dosha removal, and temple timings. It also summarizes the legend of how Rahu and Ketu originated from the demon Swarabhanu and the significance of praying at the temple to remove the negative effects of their placement in one's birth chart.

1. OM SRIKALAHASTI EASWARA NAMAHA
Lord Siva as Vayulingam in South India A.P.
Introduction
Sri Kalahasthi is presided by a naturally formed Vayulingam .This area is reputed as Rahu Ketu
Kshetra.The shivling here is covered by a nava graha kavacha with 27 stars marked on it .this
represents the nine planets including rahu and ketu and the 27 constellations.The very atmosphere
is sanctifying .While temples all over the world are closed during an eclipse special abhishekams
and pujas are performed to SriKalahasthieaswara. The vayulingam is observed inside the sanctum
sanctorum on the basis of the ever fluctuating flame of the lamp placed inside the sanctum
sanctorum.
Sarp Dosh or Kal Sarp Yoga
People from all over with sarp dosha or kal sarp yoga flock to this place to offer prayers and inspire
many more to come here and obtain the blessings of Lord Siva.
The temple authorities have made elaborate arrangements for devotees offering prayers and the
costs are extremely nominal
Fees
Entry fees - Sarvadarsanam - small fees charged
Special entrance Rs xxx per person per temple -There are two temples for which there is a charge
inside the temple complex-one for Srikalahasthieaswara and one of Ammavari Gnanaprasunambika
Devi.
Sarp Dosh Pooja Rs XXX per person -3 persons are allowed inside the temple on the basis of one
ticket of Sarp Dosh Pooja. This includes the price of the samagri for the sarp dosh pooja.
Time
The temple remains open from 6 AM in the morning till 9 PM in the evening
It is considered best to offer prayers during Rahu kalam time(one and a half hours) as under
Monday 7.30 AM to 9 AM
Tuesday 3PM to 4.30 PM
Wednesday Noon to 1.30PM
Thursday 1.30PM to 3 PM

2. Friday 10.30 AM till Noon
Saturday 9 AM to 10.30 AM
Sunday 4.30PM to 6 PM
What is sarp dosha
Sarp dosha occurs if a persons planets fall on one side of Rahu (head of a snake )and ketu (tail of a
snake ) or if the moon is in the eighth house from rahu .There are several other methods in which
this dosh occurs and it requires an astrologer -a real good one (I would say a super specialist) to
diagnose such dosh.
Sarp dosh or Kal Sarp Dosh results in
-unhappy or no marriage
-spouse prone to fighting
-endless struggles in life
-No children
-Lack of peace of mind
-Enmity in family or society etc.
Prayers
Prayers should be offered as many times as the number of houses are affected by rahu and ketu
.One should preferably go out of town for the night and come back and offer prayers again . Prayers
are offered first to Patal Vighneshwara Lord Ganesha and then again to Lord Ganesha .The two
silver snake icons after prayer have to be put into the kanuka ( offering box ) of Lord Sri
kalahasthieaswara. One should be alert during the prayers and should take a seat next to a person
who understands your language as well as the local dialect -tamil or telugu. YOU MUST KNOW
YOUR NAME (!) ,YOUR GOTRA AND THE CONSTELATION UNDER WHICH YOU WERE BORN
AS THE PRIEST WILL ASK THIS INFORMATION AND IN THIS ORDER.Apart from the samagri
given by the temple authorities some people sell lotus flowers (Rs 20) and the priests also ask for a
fees or a dakshina -these days they specify Rs XX minimum (A shame since they are salaried
employees of the temple per my information and the dakshina should be according to the will of the
devotee and not something forced upon a person.Though the sum is quite nominal but it is the
principle .)
Charity
Charity in form of food to the hungry or needy is called for and one may get food packets didtributed
to the poor at the entrance to the temple .Annadan or charity of food after the prayers have been
offered .Coconut is a sembelence of ones own head being offered to the Lord or the Goddess and
breaking it symbolises ones own head .Some bilva leaves are also offered toSrikalasthieaswara.
There are a no of other statues inside the temple complex and one should pay obeisance to as
many as possible.( but to Lord Shani one must.)
" There never has been now will there ever be ,any gift equal to the gift of food ……"
Anusasana parva 13.63.3-6
Legend of Swarabhanu
The legend of Swarabhanu needs to be mentioned here as he was a demon and tried to partake the
nectar by deceit but was observed by the sun and the moon and Lord Vishnu slaughtered
Swarabhanu and since he had had the nectar or amrit he became immortal with two bodies -rahu
and ketu.These are the shadow planets or the unseen planets and even western astronomers have
placed the intersection of the moons orbit by the earth as somewhat a shadow (I am not very sure of
the facts relating to astronomy)
As rahu and ketu are unseen yet they manifest themselves and made themselves known to us
through some mysterious force similarly it is vayu that pervades every where yet we cannot
see.Some people regard Lord Siva and Parvati as rahu and ketu respectively .Vayu or air pervades
everywhere yet we cannot see it but can feel it similarly the vayulingam at Srikalahasthi is the
Vayulingam one that is every where but which can be felt but not seen .Lord Siva has 12 Jyotirlingas
mainly Kedarnath,,Rameshavaram, Somnath, Mallikaarjuna, Mahakaleshwar, Mamleshwar or
Parmaeshwar, Vaidnath, Bheemashankar, Nageshwar, Vishavanath, Triambakam, Dhushmeshwar.

3. The panchbhootas or the five elements have five lingas that is air, water, earth, ether and Vayu.The
vayulingam is at Srikalahasthi Andhra Pradesh .
Location -how to reach
Sri kalahasthi is only 60 kilometeres from Tirupati and about 135 Kilometeres north of Chennai or
Madras.It is a small town with about 20,000 people and some lodges and choultries and
dharamshalas.The nearest railheads are Renugunta and Gudur about 50 kilometeres on each
side.Kalahasthi has a small railway station but it is well connected by bus to Chennai or Madras and
also to Tirupati.
Food
Food is sumptuous and wholesome -the south Indian food. Good places to eat near the temple.ilar
sum -all south Indian.
Stay
A good place to stay is the MSM LODGE -about half a kilometer from the temple . They have rooms
with TV and some AC rooms as well. Free choultries (dharam shalas are in plenty near the temple)
and even some lodges and cheaper places to stay.
Communication and Language
Nobody speaks Hindi and even english speaking people are very rare in Kalahasthi and
communication can be a real problem for a tourist.Even instruction inside the temple are given in
Tamil or may be Telugu
Plenty of International telephone booths, fax centers and even E mail -cyber cafes are there in
Kalahasthi.
Shopping
Tit bits as icons ,bell metal items etc may be purchased .One item I recommend is a tape by Shiva
audios called Dakshina kasi -Suprabhatam and sthothras by Shiva audio company ,kalahasthi . It
has two women singers -Lalita nad Malathi singing praises to Lord Siva.This also includes the SIVA
SATHANAMA STOTRAM by Adi Shankara Charya .This tape is in Sanskrit.
About the temple in brief (Best book on the temple -Srikalahasthieaswara Mahima by Pavani
Sitaramaiah )
The name kalashathi is derived from the stauant devotees of Lord Siva -
Sri -the spider
Kala-the snake
Hasthi-the elephant
These devotees were so dear to the Lord that they are forming a part of the Vayuingam with an
eternal message that the Lord considers all as equal and even animals can attain him.Doing and
contemplating the unknown and endeavoring to grasp the significance of the omniscient Vayu-the air
of our being and becoming Pranvayu -though present everywhere yet to grasp it is ever eluding !!!
The other place of prominence is for his devotee Bhakat Kannapa.He was a hunter who used to pray
to the Lord in his own manner -by offering him meat and water which he carried in his mouth .No
priest could stop him since he was a hunter and lost his temper very fast.Yet when he saw that one
of the eyes in Sivalingam was red he took out both his eyes and offered them to the Lord.
The holy river Swaranmukhi flows northwards from the temple into the sea.
The place is also known as Dakshin Kashi or Dakshin Kailash.A visit to this place is a must for the
spiritual aspirants (though all priests are commercial in nature)
Srimad Dakshina Kailasa Sikharam samasritah!
Yatradese pravertantae sadhavo dwija sattamah!
Tatratya praninam muktih kimutatra nivasinam
SIVA RAHASYA KHANDAM
Kailasvasi bhagwan kalahasteeeaswara sivaha
Karotu nitya kalyanam karuna varunaalayaha
Architecture
The temples architecture and design is beyond description and is based on the nervous system of
the body and is also linked very closely to the Isopanishad -the very essence of Hinduism.

4. Dakshinamurthy and the statues have a meaning for the seeker IF only one has the inquisitiveness
and the brains and the patience to understand what the sages and the artists wanted to convey. Our
sages endeavoured to convey to us the meaning of great truths indirectly (Paroksha ) by means of
stories, edicts , riddles, sculptures, paintings etc. and left the individuals to contemplate and draw
their own conclusions as best as they could. It can only be experienced and no words can describe a
visit to this small dusty town of SriKalahasthi.I find myself at peace after a visit here.
Dakshinamurthy is supposed to have a lot of divine powers and is considered the preceptor of all the
worlds ,the healer of the diseasesdz associated with birth as well as the repositary of all learning.
Gurave sarva lokanaam Bhishaje bhava roginaam
Nidhaye sarva vidyaanaam Dakshinaa murthaye namah
ASHTOTHARA SATHA NAAMAAVALI
Not complete and pronounciation may be different than spelt
Om namo shivaya,om shivaya namah, om maheshwareya namah ,om sambhve namah, om
pinakine namaha, om shashishekharaye namah , om vam devaye namah , om viruppashvarya
namah, om kripanidhye namah, om shankaraye namah, om bheemayae namah, om shoorpaniye
namah, om khatvange namah, om shativishthaye namah, om ambikae namah, om kantaye namah,
om bhakta vatsalye namah, om bhavaye namah, om sravaye namah, om trilokaye namah, om
priyaye namah, om kapalene namah, om kamayne namah, om andhakarsodnaye namah, om ganga
dharaye namah, om lalateyaakshe namah, om kripanidhaye namah, om bhimaye namah,
Om dardaye namah, om bhujang bhushanaye namah, om giripriyae namah, om giridharae namha,
om kritivasne namah, om bhagwatene namah, om sooshmatene namah, om jagatvyapene namah,
om vyomkeshe namah, om rudraye namah, om charuvikramaye namah, om sthanraye namah, om
jagat gurve namah, om bhootputye namah, om digamraye namah, om karve namah, om
manikanameh namah, om lingaye namah, om swati karvaye namah, om jallingaye namah, om
vayulingaye namah, om prithvilingaye namah, om tejolingaye namah, om kalahasti namah, om
akash lingaye namah, om mahadevaye namah, om devaye namah, om anantai namah,Om shivai
namah,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH-Iz5Z4gRc
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